Office of the President: Office of Diversity Programs

Carol Brown, Director of the Office of Diversity Programs in Clinical Care, Research, and Training
Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Office of Diversity Programs in Clinical Care, Research, and Training (ODP) was established in 2005 to address disparities in cancer outcomes based on race, ethnicity, cultural differences, and socioeconomic status.

The Office of Diversity Programs has three core areas of focus: clinical care, research, and training.

The training core works to improve diversity in the healthcare community through the recruitment, retention, and development of racially and ethnically diverse faculty, fellows, and residents at Memorial Sloan Kettering. In addition, the training core participates in outreach programs to New York City high schools and medical schools to increase the number of underrepresented minorities pursuing careers in science or healthcare.

The research core focuses on expanding the participation of minority patients in cancer clinical trials, and on developing a coordinated research program to help reduce and eliminate cancer-related health disparities.

The clinical core concentrates on outreach to New York City’s racial and ethnic minority and medically underserved populations to increase their utilization of Memorial Sloan Kettering’s prevention, screening, and treatment programs.

cancer (KAN-ser)

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

clinical (KLIH-nih-kul)

Having to do with the examination and treatment of patients.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

prevention (pree-VEN-shun)

In medicine, action taken to decrease the chance of getting a disease or condition. For example, cancer prevention includes avoiding risk factors (such as smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and radiation exposure) and increasing protective factors (such as getting regular physical activity, staying at a healthy weight, and having a healthy diet).

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)

screening (SKREE-ning)

Checking for disease when there are no symptoms. Since screening may find diseases at an early stage, there may be a better chance of curing the disease. Examples of cancer screening tests are the mammogram (breast), colonoscopy (colon), and the Pap test and HPV test (cervix). Screening can also include checking for a person’s risk of developing an inherited disease by doing a genetic test.

Source: The National Cancer Institute's Dictionary of Cancer Terms(http://www.cancer.gov/dictionary)